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McCain seeks to win back momentum Palin faces Alaska inquiry quiz
(about 2 hours later)
US Republican presidential candidate John McCain is to campaign in Colorado, as he seeks to take advantage of his rival's brief absence from the trail. US Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin is to give a deposition to a second inquiry into her alleged abuse of power as governor of Alaska.
Barack Obama has halted campaigning to see his ill grandmother, citing fears she will not live until election day. Meanwhile, Barack Obama has halted campaigning to see his seriously ill grandmother, speaking of concerns that she might not live until election day.
Polls show Mr Obama's lead growing in some states, but narrowing in Florida.Polls show Mr Obama's lead growing in some states, but narrowing in Florida.
Meanwhile, Mr McCain's running mate Sarah Palin is to give a deposition to a second inquiry into her alleged abuse of power as governor of Alaska. His Republican rival John McCain is in Colorado as he seeks to take advantage of Mr Obama's absence from the trail.
It comes as two leading Republicans announced they had chosen to endorse Mr Obama rather than their party's own candidate.
They are former Bush White House press secretary Scott McClellan and Republican Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson.
The news, only days after former Secretary of State Colin Powell gave his endorsement to the Democratic candidate, may dent Mr McCain's efforts to seize back the initiative, correspondents say.
Mr Obama has travelled to Hawaii to be with Madelyn Dunham, his 85-year-old grandmother, and will return to the campaign trail on Saturday.
"Without going through the details too much, she's gravely ill," he told ABC news.
"We weren't sure and I'm still not sure whether she makes it to election day."
Ethics questionsEthics questions
Mrs Palin will take a break from campaigning in Pennsylvania and Missouri on Friday to give her deposition to the Alaska Personnel Board investigation.Mrs Palin will take a break from campaigning in Pennsylvania and Missouri on Friday to give her deposition to the Alaska Personnel Board investigation.
Mrs Palin rejected the first ethics inquiry as politically motivated
The governor is accused of violating ethics rules when she fired the state's top law enforcement official, Walt Monegan, allegedly because he refused to sack her former brother-in-law, a state trooper.The governor is accused of violating ethics rules when she fired the state's top law enforcement official, Walt Monegan, allegedly because he refused to sack her former brother-in-law, a state trooper.
Mr Obama will return to the campaign trail on Saturday
A lawyer for Mrs Palin said she would speak to the independent lawyer leading the inquiry - which was requested by herself - in an interview expected to last up to three hours.A lawyer for Mrs Palin said she would speak to the independent lawyer leading the inquiry - which was requested by herself - in an interview expected to last up to three hours.
Her husband, Todd, will also give a deposition to the lawyer, Timothy Petumenos.Her husband, Todd, will also give a deposition to the lawyer, Timothy Petumenos.
An initial investigation by Alaska's state legislature found Mrs Palin had the authority to remove Mr Monegan from his post but had breached ethics laws in seeking to have her ex-brother-in-law fired. An initial investigation by Alaska's state legislature found Mrs Palin did have the authority to remove Mr Monegan from his post but had breached ethics laws by seeking to have her ex-brother-in-law fired.
The McCain-Palin campaign dismissed it as politically motivated. The McCain-Palin campaign dismissed the probe as politically motivated.
Campaign spokesman Taylor Griffin said the second inquiry was one Mrs Palin had requested "to make sure the facts were out there on this".Campaign spokesman Taylor Griffin said the second inquiry was one Mrs Palin had requested "to make sure the facts were out there on this".
Tax attacks 'Gravely ill'
Mr Obama has travelled to Hawaii to be with Madelyn Dunham, his 85-year-old grandmother, and will return to the campaign trail on Saturday.
"Without going through the details too much, she's gravely ill," he told ABC news.
"We weren't sure and I'm still not sure whether she makes it to election day."
Mr Obama's visit to his grandmother comes as two leading Republicans announced they had chosen to endorse him rather than their party's own candidate.
Former Bush White House press secretary Scott McClellan and Republican Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson threw their weight behind Mr Obama.
The news, only days after former Secretary of State Colin Powell gave his endorsement to the Democratic candidate, may dent Mr McCain's efforts to seize back the initiative, correspondents say.
Mr McCain spent Thursday campaigning in the key I-4 corridor in central Florida, travelling from the Atlantic coast to Sarasota on the Gulf of Mexico.Mr McCain spent Thursday campaigning in the key I-4 corridor in central Florida, travelling from the Atlantic coast to Sarasota on the Gulf of Mexico.
Mr Obama will return to the campaign trail on Saturday John McCain has been attacking Mr Obama over tax policy
He has been stepping up his attacks on Mr Obama as a tax-and-spend Democrat who wants to share the wealth.He has been stepping up his attacks on Mr Obama as a tax-and-spend Democrat who wants to share the wealth.
"He's more concerned about using taxes to spread the wealth than creating a tax plan that creates jobs and grows our economy," Senator McCain told a cheering crowd at an Ormond Beach, Florida."He's more concerned about using taxes to spread the wealth than creating a tax plan that creates jobs and grows our economy," Senator McCain told a cheering crowd at an Ormond Beach, Florida.
A Quinnipiac poll indicated that Mr Obama's eight-point lead on 1 October had contracted to 5%. A Quinnipiac poll of Florida voters indicated that Mr Obama's eight-point lead on 1 October had contracted to 5%.